


Something in Common

by Sarren



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Comment Fic, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-31
Updated: 2013-05-31
Packaged: 2017-12-13 12:57:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/824551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarren/pseuds/Sarren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Comment fic for <a href="http://lost-spook.livejournal.com/325603.html">the Obscure & British Commentfest.</a></p><p>Prompt: Lewis, Jean Innocent & any character(s), can be gen or shippy and/or smutty</p><p>Innocent feels that she doesn't really have anything outside of work.She is more than happy to be proved wrong.(I'm very open-minded about who the other character(s) are. They can be any of the other main 4,-- though if it's Hathaway, I'd probably name a kitten after you-- someone else from the station, Mr I, her son or even an OC. Just so long as Jean ends up happy)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something in Common

Robbie and Laura are both flushed, probably a combination of the alcohol and the closeness and warmth of the packed pub. Jean's own cheeks feel rather warm. Her friends' faces are alight with happiness and Jean is happy for them, she really is. She ignores the empty feeling in her chest; it's a long time since she had anything close to that feeling. She loves her husband, he's a good man, but it's been a long time since they shared any real interests; he has his garden, and his fishing, and Jean goes to concerts mostly alone nowadays, She's loathe to admit it, but it does get a bit lonely.

"We're off," Laura smiles, and Jean starts, and forces herself to smile as she stands up to give Laura a hug. She holds out her hand to Robbie and his hand closes around hers and then he's leaning in, so she hugs him too.

"Thanks for this," Robbie says, gesturing vaguely around. Some of their colleagues were still here, celebrating but the official party's over. Lewis' retirement has been duly celebrated, the speeches and the toasts over with, and congratulations given, and Lewis is clearly done for the evening.

Jean doesn't blame him. He's not really comfortable with all the attention. "Don't be a stranger," she smiles, more genuinely now.

"Course not," Robbie says, like it's obvious, and then he's taking Laura's hand and Laura waves back at her as they make their way out of the pub.

Jean watches the door shut behind them and then sits down again stares at the dregs of her drink, trying to decide whether to get another, or just go home. She doesn't really feel like going over to chat with any of the officers still here, it'll only end up being shop talk and Jean prefers to leave work at work, when she can manage it.

It's only when James Hathaway sits down beside her that she realises she hasn't seen him for a while. "Where'd you disappear to?" she asks lightly.

James leans forward and sips carefully at his full glass, there's foam on his lip when looks up but he swipes it off with his hand. He opens his mouth but the live band at the end of the room starts up again, and Jean misses whatever he said. She cups her ear and leans forward, and James leans forward too. "I was just over talking with the band," James says. 

"Oh, you were," Jean says.

"Yeah, they're really good, don't you think?"

Jean listens. They aren't your regular pub band, that's for sure. 

"What-"

"Worldbeat," James says, and looks at her expectantly. Eagerly, even. 

"Go on, then," she says, because he's obviously bursting to tell her, and watches his face as he describes the fusion of western music with ethnic sub-genres. It's the most animated she's seen him in a long while, and for the first time it occurs to her that maybe James leaving the force is possibly the right decision for him.

"Don't you play?" she says, when he winds down. "I think Laura mentioned it once. She said you're really good."

"Oh, well," James says, and shrugs. He twists the glass between his hands. "I enjoy it, anyway."

"Is that what you're going to do next, pursue a music career?" Jean asks, because Robbie's not the only one finishing up soon, and it occurs to her that she doesn't know what James' plans are, he hadn't mentioned anything when he'd handed in his resignation.

"There's a research position I've applied for," James says. "I think I've a good chance," he says blandly.

Jean doesn't doubt it; James has always been too smart for his own good. "Well, good luck, anyway," she says and raises her glass to him.

"I'll still do gigs though, whatever happens."

"Maybe I'll come see you play," Jean says, surprising herself. "It sounds interesting," she says truthfully.

James looks surprised for a moment, and then smiles at her, a warm, genuine smile that she can't help responding to. "I'll email you the dates," he says.

"You do that," she says, and he nods, still smiling delightedly. 

"Tell me more about this world music movement," she invites, and settles back into her chair. The empty feeling that plagued her has disappeared. Laura's invited her over for dinner with them a fortnight hence, and she thinks she and Robbie may be able to be friends now he's not under her command.

She wonders if she and James could be friends. They've more in common than she and Robbie, or than James and Robbie have with each other, as far as she can tell, and that hasn't stopped them being as thick as thieves. A shared interest in music, for a start, she thinks, listening to James enthusiastic describe the differentiation between rhythmic and harmonic elements in modern, ethnic global music culture. She's looking forward to hearing him play. Maybe she'll drag Laura and Robbie along.


End file.
